With the new era of the DCEU in full swing, fans are on the edge of their seats waiting for James Gunn's The Suicide Squad to hit theaters on August 6, 2021. The soft reboot has been the buzz of the DC world for months with internet-breaking trailers, colorful promotional material, and a lot of Twitter excitement from Gunn himself.
One of the biggest draws of this film is the variety of new characters that audiences will meet for the first time. And, even though Gunn has warned fans not to fall in love with anyone too quickly, history has proven that whoever survives the film will be top-tier DCEU characters.
One new character that is a favorite to survive is Idris Elba's Bloodsport. Shown as one of the leaders of the ragtag group of ne'er-do-wells, Bloodsport is positioned to be a heavy focus among the newcomers on the team.
Now, James Gunn has taken to social media to provide more insight into the character's backstory.
IDRIS ELBA'S BLOODSPORT VS. HENRY CAVILL'S SUPERMAN
After celebrating Superman Day, Gunn was asked by a fan if the DCEU's Superman will have anything to do with The Suicide Squad. While it remains unlikely Henry Cavil will wear the red cape in the film, his presence is felt in Bloodsport's history.
Gunn confirmed that Bloodsport is imprisoned due to his Superman assassination attempt while mentioning that the villain "may not be the bad guy in that situation:"
Bloodsport is in prison for taking him down with a kryptonite bullet. If you believe these covers, he may not be the bad guy in that situation. #TheSuicideSquad
While followers gasp at the idea of Elba's Bloodpsort taking down the Man of Steel, Gunn quickly confirmed that it was not a fatal shot despite it sending him to a hospital's intensive care unit:
He put him in the ICU but he failed to kill him.
HEROES OF THEIR OWN DC STORY
This exchange between Idris Elba's Bloodsport and Henry Cavill's Superman holds true to the comic origins of the villain as he was able to land the same shot in his comic book debut back in 1987. The idea of Clark Kent getting bested by a gunman with kryptonite ammo is anything but unique.
Idris Elba is a huge name for this movie, and Bloodsport is bound to carry some serious weight when on screen. Having this background brings a level of credibility to the team that is widely unmatched in the DCEU. Getting one over on Superman is no small task despite some less than savory tactics (that he may have learned from Bruce Wayne).
This does give some insight into how James Gunn is going to lean into these characters in The Suicide Squad. David Ayer's 2016 film showed that the Suicide Squad is a gang of misfits and criminals that are given a chance to make their imprisoned lives easier by working with Amanda Waller and the government. But, Gunn is seemingly taking a more anti-hero approach.
The original Tweet that sparked this question was James Gunn celebrating National Superman Day with a series of covers depicting Superman as a less than heroic figure. This implies that Gunn will work to paint Bloodsport and company as heroes of their own story.
Putting Superman in the hospital is a tough start for someone trying to be the hero, but to climb to the top, you have to start at the bottom.
The Suicide Squad will debut in theaters on August 6, 2021.
